Beet-harvesting machine.



c. I. DUNBLAZIE R.

BEET HARVESTING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 7. 1915.

1,218,532. Patented Mar. 6,1917.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

("June/for, Jul/$ 7,462

C. l. DUNBLAZIER.

BEET HARVESTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION men JULY'T, 1915.

1,218,532. Patented Mar.6,1917-.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2- C. l. DUNBLAZIER. BEET HARVESTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 7. I915.

1,21 8,532. Patented Mar. 6, 1917.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

C. l. DUNBLAZIERL BEET HARVESTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 7. 1915 1,218,532. Patented Mar. 6,1917.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4- 1 Swuwrwtoz we/mm H C. l. DUNBLAZIER.

BEET HARVESTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 7. 1915.

1,21 8,532. 7 1 Patented Mar. 6, 1917.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

I CHARLES I.'DU1\TBLAZIER, F MOLINE, ILLINOIS.

BEET-HARVESTIN G MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 6, 1917.

Application filed July 7, 1915. Serial No. 38,535.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES I. DUN- BLAZIER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, re siding at Moline, in the county of Rock Island and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inBeet-Harvesting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in beet harvesting machines. 1

An object of the invention is to provide and arrange in a singleorganization 'or machine the following sub-mechanisms: First, a meansfor extracting the beets from the soil; second, a means for removingadhering clods of earth from the extracted beets; third, a means forconveying the thus cleaned beets onto a secondary or guide conveyer,fourth, a means for topping the beets and directing the severed orremoved-tops into a suitable receptacle therefor; and finally, a meansfor collecting the topped beets whereby to provide for subsequentdeposit, in piles, while harvesting.

The invention may be said to consist in the construction, combinationand arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described andparticularly pointed'out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, annexed:

Figure l is a side elevation of my improved beet harvesting machine, oneof the side conveyer plates having been removed;

Fig. 2 is a front view of the machine;

I Fig. 3 is a top plan view;

Fig. 4 is arear end View, the top collector having'been removed;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view illustrating the -secondary or guideconveyer support;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the support means shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the means utilized todrive the machine parts through forward movement of the machine;

Fig. 8 is a detail view of the cutter or topping mechanism;

Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view of one of the plows;

Fig. 10 is a detail side elevation of one of the guide plates; and

Fig. 11 is an end view of the mentioned plates. v

Like numerals of reference designate like or corresponding partsthroughout the several views.

In view of the fact that the several submechanisms before mentioned eachcontain certain novel features, I shall proceed to describe saidsub-mechanisms in the order in which they have been named.

Proceeding now with a detail description of the various parts,.1designates the main frame of the machine from the forward end of whichplow beams or standards 2 are hung to depend, the said beams orstandards extending forwardly at an inclination to terminate at a pointin proximity to the ground. A plow or plow blade 3 is aflixed to theforward end of each beam 2, the blades, there being two, being opposedand set or positioned to extend rearwardly at an inclination,'thelandside of each plow blade afiording a guide means whereby thedisrupted beets may be directed onto the inclined guide or conveyer rodsto be hereinafter fully described.

Traction wheels 4 support the machine and at the same time afford ameans whereby the power necessary to operation of the various machineparts is generated. The wheels 4 are mounted on an axle 5. The hub 6 ofeach wheel 4 is recessed and provided .with ratchet teeth 7. A disk 8 iskeyed or otherwise secured to the axle 5 and recessed at diametricallyopposite points or as indicated at 9 to afford an operating space for aspring actuated pivoted pawl 10, each 0 the mentioned diametricallyopposed pawls engaging the teeth-7 of the hub structure 6 whereby torotate the axle 5 only during movement of the machine in one direction(forwardly) Comparatively small combined supporting and guide wheels 11are mounted at the forward endof the frame, each of the mentioned guidewheels beingindependently sup- P rted. Guide plates 12, arcuatelygrooved as indicated at 13, are secured as at 14, one at each side ofthe main frame 1. A hearing block 15 is aflixed to each guide plate tomove therewith andto support a vertical shaft 16 which in turn affords asupport for one of the guide Wheels 11. An upright arched supportingframe 17 is mounted at the forward end of the main frame, each extensionof the said arched frame being equipped with a guide 18 which is adaptedto fit the groove 13 in the guide plate 12 therefor. A second bearingblock 19 is affixed to the extension of the arched frame, within whichbearing block the mentioned vertical shaft 16 is j ournaled.

From the foregoing construction and arrangement of parts it, is evidentthat the main frame 1 and the parts aflixed thereto may be adjustedvertically, and, during adjustment, guided by the plates 12. To controlor regulate this adjustment, I have mounted on the arched frame 17, forpivotal movement, an operating lever 20 in the nature of a bell crankthe handle end of the the operators seat 21 and the opposite end at apoint forwardly of the mentioned frame.

The forwardly extended end of the lever 20 is connected by means of arod 22 with the guide plates 12. If desired, an arm 23 may be affixed inany suitable manner to move with the extensions of the lever 20, saidarm having connection as indicated at 24 with the other of the mentionedguide plates 12.

-A quadrant 25 may be associated with the lever 20 and aflixed to thearched frame 17 to maintain the main frame 1 against movement subsequentto adjustment through manipulation of the lever. The adjustment of theframe, in the manner hereinbefore disclosed, will provide for movementof the plow blade 3 into and out of penetrating engagement with theground to in this manner vary the depth of furrow made during a beetextracting operation as occasion may demand.

The arched frame 17 is held in a substan tially vertical positionthrough the medium of brace rods 26, one at each side of the machine,the rods being pivotally connected at one end to the main frame or asindicated at 27 and at their opposite ends as at 28 to a bracket orcasting 29 movable longitudinally of the arched frame. A draft @ngu'e 30is connected by means of a yoke 30' to the respective brackets 29 justdescribed.

During advancement or forward movement of the machine it is evident thatthe beets will be extracted and, by such forward movement, directedupwardly and onto a plurality of fixed uniformly spaced combined guideand conveyer rods 31, the said rods, as shown to advantage in Fig. 1,ex-

' tending from the plow'3 to a point 31 where of the upright frame 32. Asecond sprocket 37 is mounted on the shaft 36 over which sprocket achain 38 operates to drive three sprockets, designated respectively 39,40 and 41. Sprocket 39 ismounted on a shaft 42, sproket 40 on a shaft 43and sprocket 41 on a shaft 44, the latter, shaft 44 being rotatable todrive an endless conveyer 45 mounted to operate at an inclination aboveand in proximity to a similarly inclined endless conveyer 46 in turndriven through the medium of the shaft 43. The upright frame portion 32is braced as indicated at 47 and also as indicated at 48, the latterbrace beam extending forwardly of the upright at an inclination to apoint where it is affixed to the main frame 1 in proximity to the guideplate 12 secured thereto. The brace beams 48 (there being two) support ashaft 49 over which the endless conveyer 45 operates at the forwardpoint. The conveyer 46 at its 7 the conveyer 45 and directly above therods 2.

31, said conveyer being equipped with hooks 51 which, during operationof the conveyer, engage with the leaves of the beet plant to aid andassist in the movement of the extracted beets upwardly, rearwardly andonto the conveyer 46. The last mentioned conveyer 51, is driven by achain 52 operatingat one end over a sprocket mounted on the shaft 44 andat its opposite end over a shaft 53 journaled in bearings carried by thebrace beam48. The forward end of this last'mem tioned conveyer operatesover a shaft 54 adjustable through operation of the mechanism 55 towardand from the shaft 53, said shaft 54 and the mechanism 55 being carriedby an extension 56 projecting forwardly of the main frame 1. To precludelateral displacement of the extracted beets during conveyance by theconveyers 46 and 45, guide plates 56 have been provided, the mentionedplates 7 being aflixed to the frame'portions 47 and 48 to extend atapproximately the same angle as the said conveyers.

Passing on to a description of the secondary or guide conveyer, 57designates'a shaft 1 mounted at the rear of the machine and drivenindirectly through rotation of the sprocket 33. A chain 58 is mounted tooperate over a sprocket 59 mounted on shaft 42 and over a sprocket 60mounted on shaft 57,

' tirety is moved relatively to the rear axle through manipulation ofthe lever 20, such movement gaging the depth of furrow made by the plowblade 3 during operation of the machine.

In reduction to practice, I have found that the form of my inventionillustrated in the drawings and referred to 1n the above description, asthe preferred embodiment, is the most eflicient and practical; yetrealizing that the conditions concurrent with the adoption of my devicewill necessarily vary, I desire to emphasize the fact that various minorchanges in details of construction, proportion and arrangement of partsmay be resorted to, when required, without sacrificing any of theadvantages of my invention, as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a beet topping machine, topping mechanism including a pair ofopposed endless conveyers, said conveyers being inclined toward eachother with their adjacent ends lowermost to form a trough, saidconveyers being also both inclined rearwardly and downwardly to receivethe beets there on, and direct them tops downward, and a cutterpositioned at the lower ends of the conveyer and movable transverselythereof to sever the tops from the beets.

2. In a beet harvesting machine, topping mechanism including a pair ofopposed endless conveyers, a frame for each conveyer, each frame havinga stationary roller to support one end of the conveyer, a second rollerfor supporting the opposite end of the conveyer, means for permittingsliding movement of said second roller, resilient means acting upon saidsecond roller to stretch the conveyer, the frame being inclined todirect the conveyers toward each' other with their adjacent endslowermost to form a trough, said frame being also inclined in the samedegree downward andrearwardly' to receive the beets and dlreot sucharrangement causing the latter shaft to be driven in unison with theseveral conveyer shafts heretofore described. Said shaft 57 is rotatableto actuate the topper or cutter.

Shaft 42 previously mentioned is equipped with opposed or oppositelybeveled gears 61 and 62, each gear meshing with a like gear 63, the lastmentioned gears 63, being in turn rotatable to operate opposed inclinedcombined guide conveyers 64. Each conveyer 64 is mounted to operate overrollers 65 positioned triangularly, that portion of the frame designated66 supporting the rollers in the manner desired. The lowermost roller 65is yieldingly movable toward and from the remaining rollers, springs 67engaging at one end the frame 66 and at their opposite ends movablesupports 68 for said lowermost roller, permitting of such yieldingmovement. By the provision of the springs 67 it is evident that theconveyers 64 (said conveyers being preferably made of canvas or the likematerial) may be at all times held taut and in such cotiperativerelation as to gradually shift the extracted beets directed theretotoward the cutting implement subsequently to be described.

The cutting mechanism, shown to advantage in Fig. 8, is located directlybehind the conveyers 64 and in such relation to the space between thecoiiperating conveyers as to cut or sever the beet tops as they are fedtoward the lower end thereof. Said topping or cuttin mechanism isdirectl driven.

through rotation of the shaft 57. A bevel gear 69 is mounted on theshaft 57, said gear being in mesh with a like gear 70 mounted I on astub shaft 71. A reciprocatory rod 72 is connected to the gear at apoint designated 78 adjacent the periphery of the mentioned gear, theopposite end of the rod having pivotal connection as at 74 with theshank 75 of the cutter blade 76, such connection between the blade andthe gear 70 providing for reciprocatory movement of the bladetransversely of the space between the conveyers 64. Guide boards 77direct movement of the blade 76 during its reciprocatory movement.

Upon reference to Fig. 1 of the drawings it is apparent that theconveyers 64 operate at an inclination and in a plane below thedischarge end of the conveyer 46, this arrangement directing theextracted beets onto the conveyers 64 and, during movement of theconveyer belt in the opposite direction causing the beet tops to workgradually into the space between the cotiperating conveyers so as to befed, one at a time, to the reciprocatory blade 76. -As the tops are cutor severed, it is evident that the conveyers will direct the thussevered tops to a point beneath the conveyers Where they may fall bygravity onto the ground or into a receptacle therefor (not shown) to beaflixed to the main frame 1. A siding plate 78 may be affixed to theupright frame portion 32, one plate at each side of the conveyers 64, topreclude lateral displacement of the beets during conveyance.

As the topped beets fall by gravity from the conveyers 64, said beetswill, by the arrangement of a discharge chute 79, fall thereon. Saidchute 79 is of a construction whereby to direct the topped beets to oneside of the machine and against an end gate 80 hinged to the chute as at81. Upon the delivery of a quantity of beets to the discharge chute 7 9,the end gate 80 may be released-to automatically open (the Weight of thecollected beets acting as the operating force) to discharge the toppedbeets in a pile at one side of the machine. Said end gate.80 is normallymaintained in a closed position through the medium of a spring fasteningdevice 82 aflixed to the main frame 1 in proximity to the operators seat21 so as to be conveniently operated by foot pressure. Said retaining orfasteningdevice 82 operates in connection with a foot pedal 83 in turnconnected by a rod 84 to a flexible element 85. Said element 85 operatesover a sheave or pulley 86 mounted at one ,side of the discharge chuteand connected at its opposite end to a fulcrum rod 87 in turn directlyconnected as at. 88 with the end gate. By releasing the foot pedal, thatis, removing the fastening device engaged therewith, it is evident thatthe end gate may open, the weight of the collected beets, as beforepointed out, operating automatically to swing the said gate upon itshinges. To close the gate it is but necessary to exert pressure on thepedal 83 and reestablish the engagement between the pedal and the men'-tioned fastening device.

If desired, the various parts constituting the harvesting machine may bethrown into and out of operative relation with the driving rear axle 5through the agency of a suitable clutch mechanism designated as anentirety by the numeral 89. Said clutch mechanism may include a clutchmember 90 fixed to the axle and a clutch member 91 movable into and outof engagement with the first mentioned clutch member, the clutch memberswhen engaging one with the other causing the machine parts to beoperated. The last mentioned clutch member 9] is equipped with a ring orband 92 to which is pivot ally connected as at 93 a link' 94 providedwith a slot (not shown) within which the offset portion 95 of a crankarm 96 operates. Said arm 96 is journaled in bearings 97 thereforandextends at an angle as at 98 to provide a handle operable to actuate themovable clutch. I

From the foregoing, taken in connect-ion with the accompanying drawingsit is ap parent that the beets acted on will be ex-

